Family History, Cobb Chart 0303 Charles Thomas (Tom) Cobb and Rose Head

1871 Greyhound Ben House, Ashbury, Faringdon, Berkshire as Thomas Mark COBB (33) Carter on Farm born Bere Regis, Dorset, wife Louisa (27) Carter's wife born Bere Regis, Dorset, children Thomas (5) Scholar, Fred (3) and Annie (1) all three born Morden, Dorset.
1881 Cottages Opposite Crow Farm, Ringwood, Hampshire as Thomas C Mark COBB )44) Farm Carter born Bere Regis, Dorset, wife Louisa (31) born Bere Regis, Dorset, children Thomas C (14) Farm Lab born Moordown, Dorset, Annie L (10) Scholar born Moordown, Dorset, Herbert W (8) Scholar born Ashbury, Berkshire, Frank (7) Scholar born Ashbury, Berkshire, Ernest (6) Scholar born Ashbury, Berkshire and Harry (3) born Ashbury, Berkshire
1891 Green Lane, Crowe, Ringwood, Hampshire as Charles T Mark shown as age 40 which does not tally with exact birth and baptism dates we have been given Mark COBB (49) Farm Carter born Bere Regis, Dorset, wife Louisa (45) born Bere Regis, Dorset, children Charles T (24) Railway Platelayer born Morden, Dorset, Annie L (21) born Morden Dorset, Herbert W (19) Farm Labourer, born Idstone, Berkshire, Frank (18) Platelayer born Idstone, Dorset, Jane (15) Dressmaker born Idstone, Dorset, Albert (9) Scholar born Ringwood, Hampshire, George (6) Scholar born Ringwood, Hampshire and Alice (3) born Ringwood, Hampshire
1901 Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hampshire as Charles T Charles T COBB (34) Navvy) born Morden, Dorset, wife Rose (36) born Ringwood, Dorset, children Elsie May (7), Charles Mark (5) Percy P (5) and William T (4 months) all children born Ringwood, Hampshire
1911 Green Lane Crowe Ringwood, Ringwood, Hampshire as Charles Thomas Charles Thomas COBB (44) Railway Platelayer born Morden, Dorset, wife Rose (47) born Broomy, Hampshire, children all born Ringwood, Hampshire, Elsie May (17), Charles Mark (15) Farm labourer, Percy Philip (13) and William Thomas (10). Boarding with them was Elsie BATTEN (11) birth place Not Known
1917 Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hampshire (from Doug COBB or Ralph WILKINS))
1922 Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hampshire (Forces War Records for medals of son Percy Philip) 1939 Upper Kingston Green Lane, Ringwood, Ringwood and Fordingbridge R.D., Hampshire as Thomas Thomas COBB (born 18 April 1866) Railway Lengthman (Re.. and Rose COBB (born 7 December 1861) Unpaid Domestic Duties
1956 Fern Cottage, Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hampshire (address given at probate)

1901 Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hampshire
1917 Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hampshire
1922 Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hampshire (Forces War Records for medals of son Percy Philip)

1901 Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hampshire

1901 Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hampshire
1982 Ringwood, Hampshire

1901 Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hampshire
On enlistment Upper Kingston, Hampshire
Roclincourt was just within the British lines before the Battle of Arras 1917; and it was from the village that the 51st (Highland) and 34th divisions advanced on the 9th April 1917.
Percy was KIA (Killed in action) during the Battle of Arras and Vimy Ridge, The Somme, Northern France.
Highland Cemetery was made (under the name of Roclincourt Forward Cemetery No.1) when the battlefields were cleared after the 9th April 1917, and Plot I, Rows A and C and Plot II, Rows A and D are almost exclusively occupied by the graves of the 51st Division. Plot I, Row B and Plot II, Row C were made, after the Armistice, by the concentration of graves from the battlefields of Arras......
Ralph WILKINS writes
"Kindly prepared by Rachel WILKINS (14 years)
Private Percy Philip COBB. Army No. 31630 "B" company 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment Died 9/4/1917
On the 27th September '99 I went to HIGHLAND CEMETERY. ROCLINCOURT NR ARRAS, Northern France.
ROCLINCOURT is a small French village about 4 kms from the town of ARRAS. It is a little north of AEEAS and east of the road from ARRAS to LENS and LILLE. The countryside is a rather plain by undulating, the soil is fertile, growing maize, sugar beet and wheat. It lies about ½ on the ARRAS side of autoroute A1.
To my surprise this small cemetery was in the centre of a large field, being approached by way of a farm mud track. It was presumably a front-line cemetery - troops being buried where they fell. The cemetery can only be approached on foot or by a 4 x 4 vehicle.
Underneath a tree and near the perimeter wall - Plot 1. row B GRAVE 12, lies Percy COBB - aged 19 years, from Ringwood, Hants.
I laid an RBL cross on this grave and to my knowledge this was the first visit to this grave, by a relative for 82 years
Gravestone reads: Pte Percy Philip COBB
19 years 'B' Company
1st Battalion Hampshire Regt.
Died 9 / 4 / 1917
* "HE WHO FINDS HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT
AND HE WHO LOSE HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE
- WILL FIND IT"
MATTHEW, 10 VERSE 39.
Register at Cemetery records:-
Son of Charles Thmas & Rose COBB
of UPPER KINGSTON, RINGWOOD
Hants.
* Quotations cost families 1/- per letter
From Ralph WILKINS 7/4/2004
Private. Percy Philip COBB, 316310. 19 years. "B" Company. Hampshire Regiment, now Royal. Upper Kingstone, RINGWOOD. Hants. On Friday 9th. April 2004,
Remember the above.
First cousin to my father. Killed in Action at St. Laurent Blangy, ARRAS. FRANCE. WW1.
NB.This was Easter Monday 9th April 1917. Buried at the British Military Cemetery at ROCLINCOURT. ARRAS, Pas de Calais. Grave Ref. 1. 1B.12. (Under a tree).
This is a very small field Cemetery in the middle of a field, approx 40 graves, with a low wall and 4 trees. If you ever travel the Autoroute A1 past Arras towards Paris, the Cemetery can be seen approximately half a mile to the right.
Personal recollections- none but I did meet his parents and brothers and sister.
See Cobb chart 0303. Pages 260-261- Have visited his Grave.
His father was always very bitter after this - "like lambs to the slaughter"
See Battle of Vimy Ridge reference books, captured on 9.4.17 in a very heavy snow storm
Close descendant is Rosie LEWIS of Ringwood Hants.
Information from Forces War Records sent by John TERRY 2/11/2014
First Name: Percy Phillip
Initials: P P
Surname: COBB
DOB: Circa 1898
Age: 19
Birth Town: Ringwood, Hants
Resided Town: Upper Kingstone, Hants
Nationality: British
Date of Death: 09/04/1917
Fate: Killed In Action
Information: Parents: Charles Thomas and Rose COBB, of Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hants.
Rank: Private
Service Number: 31630
Duty Location: France And Flanders
Campaign Medals:
Victory Medal
Given the information we have available it is likely that Percy Phillip COBB was entitled to the Victory medal, also called the Inter Allied Victory Medal. This medal was awarded to all who received the 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star and, with certain exceptions, to those who received the British War Medal. It was never awarded alone. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.
Eligibility for this award consisted of having been mobilised, fighting, having served in any of the theatres of operations, or at sea, between midnight 4th/5th August, 1914, and midnight, 11th/12th November, 1918. Women who served in any of the various military organisations in a theatre of operations were also eligible.
British War Medal
From the information available to us, it is very possible that Percy Phillip COBB was entitled to the British War Medal for service in World War One. This British Empire campaign medal was issued for services between 5th August 1914 and 11th November 1918.
The medal was automatically awarded in the event of death on active service before the completion of this period.
Service: British Army
Regiment: Royal Hampshire Regiment
Royal Hampshire Regiment during World War 1
Since 1815 the balance of power in Europe had been maintained by a series of treaties. In 1888 Wilhelm II was crowned ‘German Emperor and King of Prussia’ and moved from a policy of maintaining the status quo to a more aggressive position. He did not renew a treaty with Russia, aligned Germany with the declining Austro-Hungarian Empire and started to build a Navy rivalling that of Britain. These actions greatly concerned Germany’s neighbours, who quickly forged new treaties and alliances in the event of war. On 28th June 1914 Franz Ferdinand the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was assassinated by the Bosnian-Serb nationalist group Young Bosnia who wanted pan-Serbian independence. Franz Joseph's the Austro-Hungarian Emperor (with the backing of Germany) responded aggressively, presenting Serbia with an intentionally unacceptable ultimatum, to provoke Serbia into war. Serbia agreed to 8 of the 10 terms and on the 28th July 1914 the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia, producing a cascade effect across Europe. Russia bound by treaty to Serbia declared war with Austro-Hungary, Germany declared war with Russia and France declared war with Germany. Germany’s army crossed into neutral Belgium in order to reach Paris, forcing Britain to declare war with Germany (due to the Treaty of London (1839) whereby Britain agreed to defend Belgium in the event of invasion). By the 4th August 1914 Britain and much of Europe were pulled into a war which would last 1,566 days, cost 8,528,831 lives and 28,938,073 casualties or missing on both sides.
The Regiment formed a total of 32 Battalions and received 82 Battle Honours and 3 Victoria Crosses losing 7,580 men during the course of the war.
1st Battalion
04.08.1914 Stationed at Colchester as part of the 11th Brigade of the 4th Division at the outbreak of war then moved to Harrow.
23.08.1914 Mobilised for war and landed at Havre and the Division engaged in various actions on the Western Front including;
During 1914
The Battle of Le Cateau, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, The Battle of Messines 1914.
Dec 1914 This Battalion took part in the Christmas Truce of 1914.
During 1915
The Second Battle of Ypres
During 1916
The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Le Transloy.
During 1917
The First and Third Battles of the Scarpe, The Battle of Polygon Wood, The Battle of Broodseinde, The Battle of Poelcapelle, The First Battle of Passchendaele.
During 1918
The First Battle of Arras 1918, The Battle of Hazebrouck, The Battle of Bethune, The Advance in Flanders, The Battle of the Scarpe, The Battle of Drocourt-Queant, The Battle of the Canal du Nord, The Battle of the Selle, The Battle of Valenciennes.
11.11.1918 Ended the war in France, Haspres N.W. of Solesmes.
Information about other Battalions can be found on the Forces War Records web site
Battalion: 1st Battalion
Company: "B" Company
Commemorated: Britain
Collections: Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919
The IWGC/CWGC Registers Collection
Percy's name is on the Bisterne War Memorial
The War Memorial is situated in grounds of St Pauls Church, Bisterne, a hamlet to the south of Ringwood on the road to Christchuch in the Avon Valley. It takes the form of a rough-hewn granite wheel cross on a tapered, square, plinth on a one-step base. The names on the memorial cover the men from the hamlets of Bisterne, Crowe and Kingston. The 20 names for World War 1 are on the front face of the plinth and the 3 names for World War 2 are on the front, sloping edge of the base. THe names have been sorted into alphabetical order here for ease of reading and research.
The Web Site for Bistern records details of him as follows:
COBB
Percy Phillip
Private 31630 [CWGC] or 31030 [SDGW], "B" Company, 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment. Killed in action 9th April 1917. Aged 19. Born and enlisted Ringwood, resident Upper Kingstone. Son of Charles Thomas and Rose Cobb, of Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hants. Buried in HIGHLAND CEMETERY, ROCLINCOURT, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row B. Grave 12.

1901 Upper Kingston, Ringwood, Hampshire
1982 7 April 1982
62 Parkland Road, Wimbourne, Dorset

This is a Chart for Charles Thomas (Tom) Cobb and Rose Head